Rotary compressor



Aug.-30, 1938. J. E. WAKEMAN 2,128,856

ROTARY COMPRESSOR Filed June 9, .1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jobzlii hem-am,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1938. J. E. WAKEMAN 2,128,866

' ROTARY COMPRESSOR Filed June 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS 5 Y 70Jakizfl Wilkemaiz,

INVENTOR 5 myiam af ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE fourth to George Cou Application June 9,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to rotary compressors, and has for the primaryobject the provision of a device of this character employingreciprocating pistons and cylinders therefor, the latter consisting of aunit rotatably mounted with the cylinders arranged substantiallytangentially to the axis of rotation and with the closed ends of saidcylinders disposed in the direction of rotation, so that the compressionwill be in the direction of rotation.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and 5 claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a vertical sectional view illustrating a compressor constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View centrally through the cylinderblock offset to show the inlet ports and showing the pistons moved fullywithin the cylinders and completing the compression strokes of thecompressor.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but offset to show the exhaustports and showing the pistons completing their suction strokes.

3 Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3 butwith the block rotated to a different position and showing intake andexhaust ports for a cylinder of the compressor.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a suitablesectional housing joined together, as shown at 2, and the opposite wallsof said housing have openings 3 to rotatably receive a hollow shaft 4.The ends of the shaft project outwardly of the housing I and one end hasconnected thereto an air filter 5, while the opposite end is adapted'tobe connected to a storage tank (not shown). A partition 6 is located inthe shaft 4 and divides said shaft into intake and exhaust ends I and 8,respectively. The intake end I of the shaft has intake ports 9 forconnecting the cylinders III to said intake end of the shaft. Theexhaust end 8 of the shaft has exhaust ports I I to communicate saidexhaust end of the shaft with the cylinders I 0,

A cylinder block I2 is journaled on the shaft 4 and is arranged withinthe housing and has secured to one side thereof a sleeve I3 surroundntsPreston, Dallas, Tex.

1936, Serial No. 84,338

ing the shaft 4 and extending exteriorly of the housing and has securedthereto a power wheel I4. The power wheel may be connected to a powersource in any suitable wayfor the purpose of rotating the cylinder blockin a clockwise direction.

The cylinders I0 are formed in the cylinder block I2 and are arrangedsubstantially tangentially to the axis of rotation of said cylinderblock or, in other words, are arranged angularly to the shaft 4.Reciprocally mounted in the cylinders are pistons I6 and the inner wallsof said cylinders have ports I! adapted to communicate with the intakeand exhaust ports during the rotation of the cylinder block. The pistonsare shaped to match the irregular walls of the cylinders, that is, theinner walls in which the ports I! are formed and these ports ll overlieboth the intake ports 9 and exhaust ports II, and communicate first withthe intake and then with the exhaust ports. These portsare arranged inpairs peripherally spaced around shaft 4, each pair being spaced fromthe next to provide for a dwell between the compression and exhauststrokes of the pistons.

Supported by the housing I are cam tracks I8. Shafts I9 extend into saidcam tracks and are equipped with rollers 20 which ride on the tracks.Connecting rods 2| are journaled on the shafts I9 and are pivotallyconnected to the pistons, as shown at 22. The pivots 22 are locatedlaterally of the shafts I9 and in the direction of rotation of thecylinder block and the latter is provided with sockets forming guides 23for guide elements 24. The guide elements form an integral part of theconnecting rods and are arranged in alignment with the shafts I9. Theelements 24 have grooves to reduce friction and to permit any fluid inthe guides to escape. The cam tracks are shaped to bring aboutreciprocation of the pistons in the cylinders during the rotation of thecylinder block. The pistons when moving outwardly of the cylinders drawair into said cylinders which is followed by a dwell at the outer endsof the strokes andthen in moving inwardly with respect to the cylindersthe pistons compress the air in the cylinders for a limited movement ofthe pistons on-the compression stroke and then force the compressed airthrough the exhaust end 8 during the pistons completing theircompression stroke.

In operation, power is delivered to the power wheel M which rotates thecylinder block and brings about reciprocation of the pistons in thecylinders. On the suction strokes of the pistons air is drawn into saidcylinders from the atmosphere by way of the intake end of the shaft 4,said air first passing through the filter 5. The exhaust ports duringthe suction strokes of the pistons are closed to said cylinders. At theend of each suction stroke there is a swell prior to the compressionstroke provided for by the conformation of the cam tracks and also theperipheral spacing of the pairs of ports. During the initial compressionstrokes of the pistons, the exhaust and intake ports are closed to saidcylinders, bringing about a compressing of the air in the cylinders. Thecompressing of said air in the cylinders is in the direction of rotationof the cylinder block. Thereby, after the initial movement of thepistons on their compression strokes, the cylinders communicate with theexhaust ports permitting the compressed air to escape by way of theexhaust end 8 of the shaft 4. The escape of the compressed air is aidedby the pistons completing their compression strokes.

A compressor of this character will efficiently compress air in astorage tank or like device with a minimum consumption of power and alsodue to the arrangement of the pistons and cylinders, each revolution ofthe cylinder block will produce a maximum output of air under a highcompression.

The centrifugal action of the piston assembly aids in rotating the blockon the suction stroke due to the cam tracks being arranged angularly tothe axis of rotation of the cylinder block and the pistons of saidpiston assembly work out-- tion of the cylinder block. The cylinderblockacts as a fly wheel for the compressor.

The exhaust ports are arranged in the hollow shaft 4 and in such a waythat the cylinders will be closed to the exhaust end 8 of said shaftduring part of the compression strokes of the pistons.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A rotary compressor comprising a cylinder block having flat facesarranged at right angles to each other and provided with an axle openingand cylinders opening outwardly through said faces, said cylindershaving ports communicating with the axle opening, a hollow shaftextending through the axle opening, a partition in the shaft separatingthe ends thereof from each other, said shaft having intake and exhaustports at opposite sides of the partition to move into and out ofregistration with the ports of the cylinders during the rotation of thecylinder block, a fixed housing receiving the cylinder block forrotation therein and having the ends of the shaft extending throughopposite walls thereof, said cylinders being located tangentially of theshaft, a cam track surrounding the block and carried by the housing,rollers engaging the cam track, shafts connecting the rollers in pairs,said block having guides opening through the flat faces thereof andarranged in alignment with the shafts and at right angles to the axle,pistons in the cylinders, connecting rods journaled on the shafts andhaving offset portions pivoted to the pistons, guide elements formed onthe connecting rods and received by the guides,

and a sleeve surrounding a portion of the axle and rotatably supportedby the housing and having the block secured to one end thereof andhaving the other end secured to a power take-off medium.

JOHN E. WAKEMAN.

